Atomic resonance line source lamps and spectrophotometers for use with such lamps

Claim 2

An atomic absorption spectrophotometer source lamp assembly comprising lamp means for producing resonance line radiation characteristic of at least one atomic element, encoding means for representing at least said radiation, and connecting circuit means for connecting said encoding means to a circuit enabling identification of said at least one atomic element.

Claim 3

A lamp assembly according to claim 1, wherein said lamp means includes a base structure, and wherein said encoding means include a plurality of at least one of projections and recesses to represent said at least one atomic element.

Claim 4

A lamp assembly according to claim 2, wherein said encoding means is located on a periphery of said base structure.

Claim 5

A lamp assembly according to claim 3, wherein sensing means are arranged for detecting said projections and recesses.

Claim 6

A lamp assembly according to claim 4, wherein said encoding means includes a plurality of recesses at said periphery of said base structure, and wherein said sensing means includes a plurality of spring loaded fingers to detect said recesses.

Claim 7

A lamp assembly according to claim 4, wherein said encoding means includes a plurality of projections at said periphery of said base structure, and wherein said sensing means includes a housing structure at said periphery containing oppositely disposed light emitting diodes and photodiodes for detecting said projections.

Claim 8

A lamp assembly according to claim 2, wherein said encoding means includes a structure having said projections and recesses, and wherein said structure is attached to said base structure.

Claim 9

A lamp assembly according to claim 7, wherein reading means is provided for reading said structure and providing identification by said connecting means.

Claim 10

A lamp assembly according to claim 8, wherein said reading means includes a housing with a slot into which said structure is inserted, and wherein said housing includes internal sensing means for sensing said projections and recesses.

Claim 11

A lamp assembly according to claim 9, wherein said internal sensing means includes an array of light emitting diodes arranged opposite an array of photodiodes, said structure being inserted between said light emitting diodes and said photodiodes.

Claim 12

A lamp assembly according to claim 1, wherein said encoding means includes an encoded magnetic strip to represent said at least one atomic element.

Claim 13

A lamp assembly according to claim 11, wherein magnetic code reading means is provided for reading said encoded magnetic strip and providing identification by said connecting circuit means.

Claim 14

A lamp assembly according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said lamp means includes a base structure, and wherein said encoded magnetic strip is provided on a structure attached to said base structure.

Claim 15

A lamp assembly according to claim 1, wherein said encoding means includes an encoded optical bar code to represent said at least one atomic element.

Claim 16

A lamp assembly according to claim 14, wherein optical code reading means is provided for reading said encoded optical bar code and providing identification by said connecting circuit means.

Claim 17

A lamp assembly according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein said lamp means includes a base structure, and wherein said encoded optical bar code is provided on a structure attached to said base structure.

Claim 18

A lamp assembly according to claim 1 or claim 4 or claim 11 or claim 14, wherein said lamp means produces resonance lines characteristic of a single element hollow cathode lamp.

Claim 19

A lamp assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 11 or claim 14, wherein said lamp means produces resonance lines characteristic of a multiple element hollow cathode lamp.

Claim 20

A lamp assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 11 or claim 14, wherein said lamp means includes electrodeless discharge lamps.

Claim 21

A lamp assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 11 or claim 14, wherein said encoding means also represents lamp current.

Claim 22

An atomic absorption spectrophotometer comprising source lamp assembly means for producing radiation characteristic of at least one atomic element, said source lamp assembly means including lamp means for producing resonance line radiation characteristic of said atomic element, encoding means for representing at least said radiation, and connecting circuit means for connecting said encoding means to a circuit enabling identification of said at least one atomic element, measurement circuit means for identifying said atomic element, said measurement circuit means being connected to said encoding means through said connecting circuit means, atomizer means for atomizing samples to be analyzed by said radiation, monochromator circuit means for providing measurement wavelengths of said samples, said monochromator circuit means including a monochromator receiving radiation passed by said atomizer means, detector means for detecting said measurement wavelengths, said detector means being connected to said measurement circuit means microcomputer circuit means connected to elements of the spectrophotometer for controlling said spectrophotometer, said microcomputer means including microprocessor means for identifying said atomic element and for applying information to said monochromator circuit means, and read-only memory circuit means for holding wavelength information associated with said atomic element, said wavelength information being applied to said monochromator circuit means by said microprocessor means.

Claim 23

An atomic absorption spectrophotometer comprising source lamp assembly means for producing radiation characteristic of at least one atomic element, said source lamp assembly means including lamp means for producing resonance line radiation characteristic of said atomic element, encoding means for representing at least said radiation, and connecting circuit means for connecting said encoding means to a circuit enabling identification of said at least one atomic element, measurement circuit means for identifying said atomic element, said measurement circuit means being connected to said encoding means through said connecting circuit means, atomizer means for atomizing samples to be analyzed by said radiation, monochromator circuit means for providing measurement wavelengths of said samples, said monochromator circuit means including a monochromator receiving radiation passed by said atomizer means, detector means for detecting said measurement wavelengths, said detector means being connected to said measurement circuit means microcomputer circuit means connected to elements of the spectrophotometer for controlling said spectrophotometer, said microcomputer means including microprocessor means for identifying said atomic element and for applying information to said monochromator circuit means, and read-only memory circuit means for holding wavelength information associated with said atomic element, said wavelength information being applied to said monochromator circuit means by said microprocessor means.

Claim 24

A spectrophotometer according to claim 21, wherein said encoding means represents lamp operating current for said lamp means.

Claim 25

A spectrophotometer according to claim 22, wherein lamp power supply means for operating said lamp means are provided, and wherein said read-only memory circuit means holds lamp current information, said microprocessor means controlling said lamp power supply means by lamp current information from both said measurement circuit means and said encoding means and by said lamp current information from said read-only memory circuit means.

Claim 26

A spectrophotometer according to claim 21, wherein read-write memory circuit means is provided for continuously storing at least one information set, said microprocessor means controlling said lamp assembly means with said information set for analyzing said samples with respect to said at least one atomic element, said microprocessor means using said information set for at least a duration of analysis, and wherein said information set has atomic element information derived from said read-only memory circuit means, and from other sample related information.

Claim 27

A spectrophotometer according to claim 24, wherein holding and positioning means are provided for holding a plurality of said lamp assembly means each having said encoding means being connected to said measurement circuit means, said holding and positioning means being provided for positioning one lamp means at a time of said plurality of lamp assembly means in an optical path of both said atomizer means and said monochromator circuit means, and wherein said microprocessor means controls said holding and positioning means to position said radiation characteristic of each atomic element in said optical path, said microprocessor means using each of a plurality of said information sets in turn, said plurality of information sets being continuously stored in said read-write memory circuit means at least for said duration of analysis.

Claim 28

A spectrophotometer according to claim 21 or claim 22 or claim 23 or claim 24 or claim 25, wherein said lamp means includes a base structure, and wherein said encoding means include a plurality of at least one of projections and recesses to represent said at least one atomic element.

Claim 29

A spectrophotometer according to claim 26, wherein said encoding means is located on a periphery of said base structure.

Claim 30

A spectrophotometer according to claim 29, wherein sensing means are arranged for detecting said projections and recesses.

Claim 31

A spectrophotometer according to claim 28, wherein said encoding means includes a plurality of recesses at said periphery of said base structure, and wherein said sensing means includes a plurality of spring loaded fingers to detect said recesses.

Claim 32

A spectrophotometer according to claim 28, wherein said encoding means includes a plurality of projections at said periphery of said base structure, and wherein said sensing means includes a housing structure at said periphery containing oppositely disposed light emitting diodes and photodiodes for detecting said projections.

Claim 33

A spectrophotometer according to claim 26, wherein said encoding means includes a structure having said projections and recesses, and wherein said structure is attached to said base structure.

Claim 34

A spectrophotometer according to claim 31, wherein reading means is provided for reading said structure and providing identification by said connecting means.

Claim 35

A spectrophotometer according to claim 32, wherein said reading means includes a housing with a slot into which said structure is inserted, and wherein said housing includes internal sensing means for sensing said projections and recesses.

Claim 36

A spectrophotometer according to claim 33, wherein said internal sensing means includes an array of light emitting diodes arranged opposite an array of photodiodes, said structure being inserted between said light emitting diodes and said photodiodes.

Claim 37

A spectrophotometer according to claim 21 or claim 22 or claim 23 or claim 24 or claim 25, wherein said encoding means includes an encoded magnetic strip to represent said at least one atomic element.

Claim 38

A spectrophotometer according to claim 35, wherein magnetic code reading means is provided for reading said encoded magnetic strip and providing identification by said connecting circuit means.

Claim 39

A spectrophotometer according to claim 35, wherein said lamp means includes a base structure, and wherein said encoded magnetic strip is provided on a structure attached to said base structure.

Claim 40

A spectrophotometer according to claim 21 or claim 22 or claim 23 or claim 24 or claim 25, wherein said encoding means includes an encoded optical bar code to represent said at least one atomic element.

Claim 41

A spectrophotometer according to claim 38, wherein optical code reading means is provided for reading said encoded optical bar code and providing identification by said connecting circuit means.

Claim 42

A spectrophotometer according to claim 38, wherein said means includes a base structure, and wherein said encoded optical bar code is provided on a structure attached to said base structure.